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MPG Question. IDI vs non

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Old 08-27-2016, 10:55 PM
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MPG Question. IDI vs non

I get my pick up truck back Monday (just bought it, went straight to mechanics). I have been wondering what MPG I can expect to get out of it. 6.9 turbo.

Ive heard that turbo helps with MPG, then I've heard that it does the exact opposite.

I have a e40d. The psi goes up to 8psi and when i did drive it home after purchasing it, it cruises at 1-2psi. Don't know if that means anything.

Its a longbed, 4 door. dually.

The registration says it weighs 4600lbs, which i think is low for some reason but hey im used to 8000lbs uhauls. Does this sound about right to you guys?

Does anyone here have a similar set up that can give me an idea of what MPG i can expect? I would be happy with 15mpg+. Ive heard people getting 20+ but i can't believe it for some reason




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Old 08-27-2016, 11:16 PM
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You've got a big rig; I'd say anywhere in the 14-17 range.
The problem is that 'fuel mileage' depends on a number of factors.
The first is that, as a mechanical engine, we have no computer that can tell us 'instant' economy, so the economy is simply tank to tank.
This means that your economy includes:
1. startups
2. Idling, including warming up
3. low speed driving - probably lower economy if you have lots of stops
4. Medium speed driving, like 45. Probably fairly good economy
5. Highway driving - 60-ish will be higher economy than 70+.

As that mix changes, your fuel economy numbers will change... though the truck is no more or less efficient than it ever was.

For example, a couple years back I took a trip of about 600 miles one-way, all highway. I basically filled up just before I hit the highway, and filled up when near empty, right along the highway. I averaged 17.5 MPG, despite going 75 the whole way(ZF5 + GV overdrive = 2K RPM at 75)
On the other hand, in my daily commute, I average somewhere in the 14.5 range... mainly because I have a 10 mile commute, 8 of it is highway... and it barely gets warmed up fully by the end. Lots of cold starts involved.
 
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Old 08-28-2016, 06:38 AM
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being it is a dually, that rite there is going to take about 2MPG off the top of the mileage. but with the overdrive trans, 15 does not sound out of the question.
turbo can increase mileage, but it can decrease it also because you tend to have a heavier foot when driving a turbocharged truck.
as for the 4600 lbs deal, make sure it is not registered for 4600. if so, it is overweight as is. my bet is that rig is closer to 8000 empty.
 
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Old 08-28-2016, 06:45 AM
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Good looking truck. My 90 super cab is 6300. Mix in town and highway I am getting 16
 
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Old 08-28-2016, 07:22 AM
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My truck in my signature has my fuelly for it. I drove it 200 miles daily and got 14.5 to 15.6 in a crew cab long bed dually with utility body weighed 8900lbs empty. With a trailer it would get 13 to14.

It was totaled a few weeks ago so I have been using my 1996 single cab f350 dually 4x4 which I put the same bed on and it weighs 8600lbs empty, has 4 inch exhaust, kn intake and cts 2 tuner with about a 60hp tune. First fill up was 18.7mpg.
 
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Old 08-28-2016, 01:57 PM
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I've done A LOT to make my IDI run as efficiently as possible.

I bought my turbo to save MPG. Instead, it is too much fun to drive so I get about hte same MPG as before. But I guess that's a savings in a sense because now I can drive 15mph faster and get the same MPG.

But if you are looking to add a turbo to increase MPG, good luck. It's all about managing the accellerator pedal.
 
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Old 08-28-2016, 08:11 PM
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Originally Posted by genscripter
I've done A LOT to make my IDI run as efficiently as possible.

I bought my turbo to save MPG. Instead, it is too much fun to drive so I get about hte same MPG as before. But I guess that's a savings in a sense because now I can drive 15mph faster and get the same MPG.

But if you are looking to add a turbo to increase MPG, good luck. It's all about managing the accellerator pedal.
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Old 08-28-2016, 11:44 PM
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Thanks for the replies. So about 14-16. More like 14. I will definitely enjoy the turbo
 
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Old 09-03-2016, 04:38 PM
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My 88 7.3 NA 2wd 3/4 ton with zf5 gets 12.3. And I don't really have a heavy foot. But I think i may have other issues
 
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Old 09-03-2016, 04:43 PM
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After a few thousand miles the 4x4 psd is only getting 15.6 to.15.8 so not much better than the idit I had
 
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Old 09-04-2016, 12:13 AM
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My van gets around 19-20mpg if I keep it at 55mph. 17-18mpg if I give 'er hell. But I have done lots of eco mods.

GVOD, Hypermax Turbo, hi flow exhaust, aluminum driveshaft, LRR maximum size tires, e-pump, 3G alternator, pv panels, hughes torque converter, and other things to try to save fuel. And I did several timing tests to optimize for the best fuel ratio relative to degrees TDC. I think I've reached the upper end of what an IDI with my gear ratio and tranny can get. I'm contemplating going e-fan and making a front air dam like Jayro did to gain a half mpg, maybe. So when I hear someone claim they get 25 mpg in their IDI with an auto just by changing the oil, I always call BS.

Recently, I've been looking into installing a front axle on my van but not installing the transfer case and front drive shaft. Instead, I have been looking at the Tesla motor assembly, which is mounted on their driveshafts. Maybe with enough undermounted batteries being simultaneously charged by my 3G alternator(s), perhaps I can write a controller that would make my IDI van a semi-hybrid for city driving. Even if I could get enough juice to get 50 miles on one charge, that would be solid for some of my day-to-day LA driving. IDK. Still really early in the planning stages.
 
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Old 09-04-2016, 12:23 AM
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Just feel good that your 25 year old truck is getting 14-18, where this guy's 2013 F-150 is getting 13-14 with an EcoBoost engine: https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...-34-tires.html
(Note: This topic came up in the "Similar Threads" box...)

Even if you don't get 25 MPG, you more than make up the difference in simply lack of operating costs, and that's not even accounting for how much less it cost to buy one of these old trucks vs a new one. And it can do more...
 
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Old 09-04-2016, 06:26 AM
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Originally Posted by genscripter
My van gets around 19-20mpg if I keep it at 55mph. 17-18mpg if I give 'er hell. But I have done lots of eco mods.

GVOD, Hypermax Turbo, hi flow exhaust, aluminum driveshaft, LRR maximum size tires, e-pump, 3G alternator, pv panels, hughes torque converter, and other things to try to save fuel. And I did several timing tests to optimize for the best fuel ratio relative to degrees TDC. I think I've reached the upper end of what an IDI with my gear ratio and tranny can get. I'm contemplating going e-fan and making a front air dam like Jayro did to gain a half mpg, maybe. So when I hear someone claim they get 25 mpg in their IDI with an auto just by changing the oil, I always call BS.

Recently, I've been looking into installing a front axle on my van but not installing the transfer case and front drive shaft. Instead, I have been looking at the Tesla motor assembly, which is mounted on their driveshafts. Maybe with enough undermounted batteries being simultaneously charged by my 3G alternator(s), perhaps I can write a controller that would make my IDI van a semi-hybrid for city driving. Even if I could get enough juice to get 50 miles on one charge, that would be solid for some of my day-to-day LA driving. IDK. Still really early in the planning stages.

How much does you van weigh?

Look at others people's fuel economy on fuelly, you browse and see diesel mpg vs gas for all years. These are hand calculated real wold mpg. I use it for all of my vehicles. Newer f350s don't get any better. Both my trucks weigh almost 9k which is pretty heavy. My old duramax used to average 15mpg h best ever as 17mpg. My 2001 suburban averages 13 to 15, best ever 16mpg. My 2012 passat tdi averaged 41mpg over its 85k life best of 49mpg on a 1600 mile trip


Ford F-350 Super Duty MPG - Actual MPG from 743 Ford F-350 Super Duty owners
 
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Old 09-04-2016, 06:59 AM
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Originally Posted by genscripter
My van gets around 19-20mpg if I keep it at 55mph. 17-18mpg if I give 'er hell. But I have done lots of eco mods.

GVOD, Hypermax Turbo, hi flow exhaust, aluminum driveshaft, LRR maximum size tires, e-pump, 3G alternator, pv panels, hughes torque converter, and other things to try to save fuel. And I did several timing tests to optimize for the best fuel ratio relative to degrees TDC. I think I've reached the upper end of what an IDI with my gear ratio and tranny can get. I'm contemplating going e-fan and making a front air dam like Jayro did to gain a half mpg, maybe. So when I hear someone claim they get 25 mpg in their IDI with an auto just by changing the oil, I always call BS.

Recently, I've been looking into installing a front axle on my van but not installing the transfer case and front drive shaft. Instead, I have been looking at the Tesla motor assembly, which is mounted on their driveshafts. Maybe with enough undermounted batteries being simultaneously charged by my 3G alternator(s), perhaps I can write a controller that would make my IDI van a semi-hybrid for city driving. Even if I could get enough juice to get 50 miles on one charge, that would be solid for some of my day-to-day LA driving. IDK. Still really early in the planning stages.
Interesting idea on the electric front axle.

Your MPG numbers sound inline with mine. I am about about 1-1.5mpg lower than yours, but you have a few efficiency mods I don't. I do think the vans suffer in the aero department. I am currently about half way through wrapping my air dam with some scrap sheet metal I have so it doesn't look quite as hillbilly as it did. I was hoping to be able to test it on my trip this summer, but time ran out.

So are you against a transmission swap? For the $ of the electric motor you could swap in a e40d or 4r100. With the upgrades available to them their durability issues are much less and using a stand alone controller gets rid of the funky electrical/sensor issued they seem to have with the stock wiring/computer. Combined with your GVOD you could have the best of both worlds. 4.10's (or even 4.56's if you wanted) for towing and more efficient stop and go driving......while you would have lower hwy cruising rpm's than you currently do with the benefit of the locking torque converter. This is the route I am looking at.

With the right mods, I think that 20-25mpg hwy would be achievable in the right model ID truck.

Sorry for the tangent.....I think that OP would be able to see 16 or maybe 17 mpg on the hwy with slower cruising speeds and the optimal terrain/conditions. Probably 14-16mpg is more realistic.
 
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Old 09-04-2016, 10:56 AM
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After I get my short block and I reinstall the engine, I'm looking to fab up some kind of a long thing innercooler above where my trans cooler is mounted in front of my condenser. We'll see. Maybe that'll give me a little more HP, thus a little better fuel economy.

I considered goin with the E4OD with a GV, but I'd have to source a new GV tailshaft housing, the reviews for the E4OD are pretty awful, I already have some decent C6 upgrades (deep sump, better filter, E350 cooler, etc), and I think my Hypermax up- and down-pipes won't work from a C6 to E4OD.

If I can run the Aerostar e-fan and delete the fan clutch, that'll help a little with the drain on the engine. I already have the 3G alt, so i'm good on the amps. Plus removing the fan clutch should afford me more room to route the piping for the innercooler.

The aerodynamics is a prob. A friend of mine suggested I use my access to these vac formers I have, and make an acrylic nose cone. IDK.

In the end, I'm leaning toward doing the first IDI hybrid. It's not as exotic as it seems. people are making conversion kits for cars for a while now. The motor mounts to the existing axle, and is belt driven to where the driveshaft yoke applies. Obviously those split-axles won't work, but a fixed shaft would.



I've only seen it on things like crown vics and whatnot, because trucks and vans are too heavy to get a decent range on a single charge. But all I'm looking for is something like 50 miles per charge. That'd be nice for my day-driving in Los Angeles. Plus with my solar array on top, i'd get a trickle charge when the van sits for days in the Calif sun.

The other BIG problem with this plan is to get enough room for the motor on the axle with the van. it already has a major issue with clearance for the 4x conversions, so adding that motor could be tough. I know the van will need to be raised at least 3 inches, thus aero becomes a prob again. But then i could have more clearance for batteries and possibly build a flat panel for the underside of the van, thus helping aero. lots of work to do....
 


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